Monitor recommendations

Hey guys

I figure its about time I stopped editing on my 13" VAIO laptop screen and invested in a monitor. My VAIO runs Photoshop and Capture NX happily so I'm ok on processing power. But I do think its time for a bigger screen.

I'd welcome recommendations. Past posts have suggested Dell 22" monitors - and I've always been happy with the Dell PCs I have had. So what do you guys reckon?

Thanks!

Ive got 2 Dell 24" monitors and they work very well. One is currently attached to my macbookpro, the other to a dell xps720. Make sure you calibrate the screens though.

Cor

I've got Eizo on one computer and a Wacom on the other.

If you are going to drive the monitor from your laptop, check your resolution settings on the computer.

Maybe I'm techno-ignorant, but when I would attach one of my monitors to my laptop, I was limited to the max resolution of the video card of the monitor. Hooking a large 1600 x 1200 monitor to a laptop, but only having a max of 1074 x 768 or whatever looks crappy. Like watching low def television on my 55" plasma.

You definitely want to make sure your laptop can handle it. My MBP has no problem driving a 1920x1200 external Dell, and its own screen.

Cor

FWIW I have had a lot of success with the Dell 2407-WFP-HC, I have two at work that stay on all working days and have done for years and a pair at home also.

The last one I purchased in January was £339 - be a bit cautious about the updated version of this monitor from Dell - I am not sure it is as good as the old one.

As Cor suggests though they do need colour calibration.

Paul C

Look at these:

-NEC LCD2690WUXI-BK, 26", 1920 x 1200, pricey

-NEC LCD3090WUXI-BK, 30", 2560 x 1600, built-in pivot from horizontal to vertical, even more pricey

Both have 12 bits per color channel and use a custom color look up table (LUT).

Many thanks guys - especially for the warning on the video card resolution.

My VAIO has a ATI MOBILITY RADEON 9700 which shows a maximum resolution of 1280x800. Dell recommended the 2408WFP UltraSharp for photo editing. This has a resolution of 1920x1200. So based on Cor and Scorpio's views the screen may not look great if only driven at 1280x800.

A very helpful lady at Dell said she would check my video card compatability and call me back in 20 minutes. That was 2 hours ago - so maybe there isn't an easy solution!

I've just been flipping on the VAIO website and even their new laptops (mine is two years old) only have 1280x800 video cards.

My VAIO deals with editing software really well so I'm not overly keen at upgrading a laptop just yet. Maybe I'll have to manage squinting at the screen a while longer....... <_<

Many thanks guys - especially for the warning on the video card resolution.

 

My VAIO has a ATI MOBILITY RADEON 9700 which shows a maximum resolution of 1280x800. Dell recommended the 2408WFP UltraSharp for photo editing. This has a resolution of 1920x1200. So based on Cor and Scorpio's views the screen may not look great if only driven at 1280x800.

Not Nescessarily, generally the card will only report the maximum resolution that your monitor will support. So if you don't have a high resolution monitor hooked up, your card won't give you the option.

Look up the spec's for the ati card on their website and it will tell you exactly what resolutions are supported. However, my knee jerk reaction is that the Radeon 9700 will support 1920x1200. It's generally the intergrated GPU's that won't support the higher resolutions.

Cheers,

Mike

Not Nescessarily, generally the card will only report the maximum resolution that your monitor will support. So if you don't have a high resolution monitor hooked up, your card won't give you the option.

Look up the spec's for the ati card on their website and it will tell you exactly what resolutions are supported. However, my knee jerk reaction is that the Radeon 9700 will support 1920x1200. It's generally the intergrated GPU's that won't support the higher resolutions.

 

Cheers,

 

Mike

My thoughts exactly as my old Radeon 9000 supports 1600 x 1200.

http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebO...;nplm=M9178LL/A

Ummmm Apple 23" at 1920 x 1200.

Oh right! Thanks lads. I'll check it out

(Dell haven't called back yet but have promised they will)

The specs at the ati website seems to suggest the 9700 mobility can only do 1600x1200 on LCD panels. That means the 24" is out. Maybe the 22" will work, but im not sure.

Cor